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Authorities in the Bahamas complete anti-terrorism training

Law enforcement officials in the Bahamas completed antiterrorism training last week at the island nation's Police Training College, according to the Nassau Guardian online edition.

Dennis Ryan, a trainer with the U.S. State Department’s Antiterrorism Assistance Program, which sponsored the training program, said that the training was fairly standard training.

“Any first line response unit should have this training,” Ryan told the Nassau Guardian. “It's standard training worldwide. So what we're trying to do is ensure that everybody has like-type training.”

The training scenario included a dirty bomb explosion. Participants, donning Level A suits, which provide protection against direct and airborne chemical contact, contained the dirty bomb and responded to possible injured people.

Ryan said that although a terrorism event is not expected in the Bahamas, the training is necessary in order “to be prepared to protect the public.”

The course trained 25 police officers, who are now eligible to receive $130,000 worth of emergency equipment to be granted through the U.S. Embassy. Ryan said 28 policemen were trained last year in Grand Bahama.

“If you go to any other city in The Bahamas, Freeport's already had this training last year,” Ryan told the Nassau Guardian. “We want to make sure all of your departments are trained in the same manner so if there are any interactions with one or the other, they both know what the other department is going to do.”

U.S. State Department officials estimate that the Antiterrorism Assistance Program has trained over 48,000 foreign security and law enforcement officials from 141 countries since the program started in 1983.